Altered Criminal
by Bellaward1105
Summary: Edward Cullen, imprisoned because of a crime meets a certain brunette who will alter his life forever... AH. BXE. One-shot.


_**Disclaimer: Do I really have to? (Looks at lawyer with puppy dog eyes; lawyer nods; I sigh sadly) I - I do not own the Twilight saga and its characters, unfortunately. It all belongs to the remarkable Stephenie Meyer.**_

**Altered Criminal**

**A/N: This story is created while I am not in front of the computer writing **_**A Cullen Or A Swan**_**. I hope you find this little one-shot interesting!**

"Here we go. Into jail. Where you all belong," The short and stout police officer said lazily. The criminal he was referring to just smirked at the officer before entering the opened cell. The criminal was met by a sound of someone sobbing in the far corner of the room. "And shut up, beautiful. We've had enough of your tears." With that the police officer walked away.

The criminal though, respected women highly and narrowed his emerald eyes at the retreating official. He then turned and walked to the sobbing woman that was hiding in the darkness, his own heart surprisingly throbbing painfully for her. "Are you alright?" He asked, concern coloring his tone. Something about her made the bronze-haired criminal feel different.

He stopped walking and knelt so he was facing her. With the little light, he could say that the woman had long, wavy and mahogany hair. She was dressed in a plain shirt and pants, she was quite petite and he guessed her age around the same one as his. She had her feet pulled up, her arms hugging it tightly and her face was hidden in her arms. Her skin was pale, it was radiating in the darkness. He was about to reach over and put a hand on her knee in reassurance when her soft voice rang out.

"Please stay away from me." Her voice was weak and scared and the criminal's heart cracked even more as he heard the helplessness in her voice. "I don't want to speak to you."

At that the criminal had to laugh lightly. The woman finally looked up and the criminal almost choked himself. Though her face was tear-stained, her bright, chocolate brown eyes were impressive even as she glower at him, her lips were red as raspberries and her face was somewhat, heart-shaped. All in all, she's beautiful. A small part of his mind wondered how a person like her could go in here. But then, he quickly discarded that thought as soon as he saw her expression.

Her glare shifted to a shocked look, then admiration and lastly disgust. "Sorry," he chortled. "I just couldn't help but laugh at what you said, 'I don't want to speak to you'," he quoted her and chuckled again. The woman glared at him once more.

"I'm Edward." The criminal held out a hand for her to shake.

"Bella," the woman replied, taking his outstretched hand a bit reluctantly. The moment their skin made contact, electricity seemed to flow between them. Bella gasped and pulled her hand away, rubbing it with her other hand. She was staring at Edward with wide eyes.

"Wow," was the word that escaped his mouth and he stood up and sat beside Bella on the bed. She seemed to stiffen and she said in that weak and scared voice, "What are you trying to do?"

Edward knew what she was referring and suddenly, he became gentle towards her. For a moment, he was shocked. How could a girl he barely knew had this effect on him? It was unexplainable. "I'm not going do anything, Bella," he told her sincerely. Bella looked into his eyes and seemed dazzled for a second, before composing herself.

"Why are you here?" The question left her mouth before she could stop herself. She blushed, something she hasn't done lately and Edward admired how adorable she looked when she blushed. "It's beautiful," he complimented and Bella's blush became a shade darker.

"I robbed a bank. Well, 'we' is a better word," he admitted. Edward couldn't help but tell her the truth. "I was leading the robbery and was the only one who got arrested," he looked disgusted for a moment before smiling and said, "How about you, Ms. Beautiful Bella?"

He expected her to blush again and stutter some shoplifting sin or something but she frowned and turned away from him, another sob rising in her chest.

He couldn't help but reached for her. He wrapped his arms around her shaking frame and surprisingly, she turned and buried her face in his chest, wrapping her thin arms around his torso. He whispered words of comfort to her and just let her cry.

Time passed and Edward felt Bella's cries gradually decreasing until there was only silence.

"Bella?" He asked softly, playing with a strand of her hair.

"Hmm?" came her muffled reply.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely. He was mentally berating himself. She was quiet before pulling back and pressing her lips on his cheek. Edward, who frowned at the moment Bella pulled back, sat in shock, finding it hard to believe what Bella did.

"Thank you," Bella said quietly. "I am here because," she took a deep breath and continued. "Because I was accused of buying stolen goods. It was actually my boyfriend who was guilty. I thought he was a pretty decent guy," she laughed humorlessly. "My late father thought he was good for me, anyways. So, I lived with him in our apartment. A month ago, I woke up, the police arrived and presented me search warrant. Jake, yeah that boyfriend of mine, was on a business trip, or that's what I thought," she gave a lady-like snort. "They found the goods that I didn't even know existed, arrested me and on my trial, ugh," Anger crossed her beautiful features.

"That… monster testified against me! Saying that he had nothing to do with all the dirty business I had. Because of him, my mom had to strive to bail me and argh! That poor excuse of a human being!" She shrieked as she said the words that Edward thought she had been dying to say all this time. Her hands were curled into fist and they were raised in the air, as if she can hit her former boyfriend. Edward finally noticed her hands. They were injured.

"Bella!" Edward said in alarm, wrapping her hands in his. "What happened to your hands?" Bella seemed to snap out of it. Her eyes soften and she looked at their joined hands before shifting her gaze back to Edward.

"Whenever I remember that, I always feel angry. That is why, a while ago, I started hitting the wall with both my hands. After that little temper tantrum, the pain finally registered in my mind. I can't believe how stupid I am to do such thing," she chuckled.

Edward wasn't happy with the idea of Bella being hurt and already hurt. Again, he was shocked and confused as to why Bella had that effect on him. He pulled out his handkerchief and wrapped it on the hand with the worse injuries.

"You must protect yourself," he muttered. After tying a knot, he leaned and gave her hands a kiss. "I don't want to see you hurt. I don't want to see anybody hurt." He added the last line quickly so Bella wouldn't notice how he was starting to fall for her.

"If you don't want to see anybody hurt, why did you rob a bank?" She asked and her eyes were bright with curiosity. Edward's sister, Alice, asked him that, aside from their history. He would lie to her, saying that he was having fun doing it and Alice would narrow her eyes at him.

This time though, it seems like he can tell Bella anything. So he told her the truth. "I have a very dark past, Bella. When I was born, my father worked hard to feed the three of us, but his salary wasn't enough. He couldn't help but join a syndicate. My mother was confused by the large sum of money my father brought everyday. I was three when my mother conceived another child and she was horrified when she found out the job of my dad. I remembered their relationship changed from warm and happy to cold and cruel. And even at that moment, I took my father's side because I'm sure he was doing everything for us.

"We were rich for the following years and when I reached seventeen, I fully learned what was really happening. Mom was angry that Dad told me and worse, encouraged me to follow his footsteps. He was totally blinded by wealth and he was now the leader. When he passed away because of his poor health, his last words were, 'Edward, don't fail', he didn't finish the sentence but I have a feeling that it was, 'Edward, don't fail me'. When Mom died because of depression a few months after Dad, my sister and I were curious for our Mom was happy and peaceful before she left.

"She said with a smile, 'I'm proud for both of you. You care for each other and other people. You are good.' I felt guilty at the moment because I made my mind up when my father died that I will follow what he wanted. I mean, he was expecting me and no one expects me to do something good, anyways. I'm a loser, even at school. At the age of twenty-three, I replaced my father's place and led the syndicate. I thought it would lessen the guilt if I followed what Mom wants. I took a crime without so much action, which is robbing. Well, this is the crime I'm in for." He finished his long story and stared at Bella's face. It was a mixture of pity, anger and understanding? ... What? Why? He asked to himself.

"You're doing this because you thought they were expecting you to be one, anyway? Do you know how silly that sounds?" she demanded after a moment of silence.

"Says the girl who punched the wall," he muttered and she glared at him. "Okay, yes it was silly. What do you expect? I have no other choice! Didn't you hear my father's request?"

"Of course, I did. And it was crystal clear that you said that he didn't finish the sentence. You just thought the end is 'me'! Now, it could mean anything. Are you for real?"

"Why are you so mad?" He asked, confused. Why is she saying these? He thought.

"Because you're wasting your life over something silly. It can't help that you were already spending your illegal money. You could think of something good to repay, like donating to orphanages. I guessed you've been given a complete education. I mean, get a life, will you?" she suggested, crossing her arms to her chest.

He sat, stunned, again. No one had been so straightforward to him. At his junior year, the year he understood his father's job, he grew quiet, mysterious and dark. A few girls showed interest to him but no one interested him like this woman sitting in front of him.

Bella… not only caught his eye but also captured his heart. There's no going back now, he thought with a sigh.

"Bella, my life isn't wasted, because I found you." He said quietly, looking away from Bella.

Edward heard her gasp but he still couldn't meet her eyes. Bella couldn't have liked me. A soulless monster like me deserved to die and to never be remembered again, Edward thought darkly. He heard her move and expected her to stand and stay away from him.

But he didn't expect her to put her delicate hands on either side of his face, making him turn his head.

The room was dark but there was enough light for him to see her smoldering eyes. His own eyes held sorrow that is, until Bella leaned forward and pressed her soft lips on his own. He was too shock at first that a disgusting creature such as himself was kissing the girl he loves but he later responded to the kiss, encircling her waist with one hand and running the other in her auburn waves.

"Oi!" The officer's voice broke the spell and they jumped apart, slightly flustered. "Cullen, you're bailed!" He opened the cell and waited impatiently, waiting for him to exit.

Edward looked back at Bella who was getting teary-eyed. "You wait here, love." With one last kiss, he darted out of the cell and soon saw Alice with a disapproving look on her pixie-like features.

"Edward," she growled. But he ignored her and walked to the police officer sitting behind the counter.

"How much is needed to bail Bella, the girl I shared the cell with?" He waited for the answer and when he did, demanded cash from his sister.

"What the hell are you doing?" Alice exclaimed.

Edward slammed the cash on the counter and paced impatiently while waiting for Bella to appear.

When she did, he opened his arms for her. Bella had tears running down her cheeks and she smiled as she ran into Edward's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. She felt safe here, in Edward's arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," Bella said over and over again. The two policemen smirked at the two lovebirds and resumed to their posts. Alice was looking at the new couple with a questioning look, all anger gone, but a smile was playing at her lips.

"Come, let's get you home," Edward said, helping Bella get down. Alice cleared her throat and Bella looked at her, realization dawned in her features.

"You must be Alice, Edward's sister. I'm Isabella Swan. Bella for short." Just as she finished her introduction, Alice squealed and hugged her.

"Hey, you didn't say your whole name to me before," Edward accused teasingly.

"Because I didn't trust you at first, that's why," she chuckled.

"What made you trust him then?" Alice asked as she pulled away with a bright smile on her face.

"His good looks and gentlemanliness," Bella admitted with her face heating up. Alice laughed, tinkling and bubbly. Edward just smirked at her before going beside her and wrapping an arm around her waist.

On the way to Bella's house, the couple explained to Alice what Bella's case is all about and she swore Jacob like a sailor which made Bella laughed. Alice was very happy that his brother finally found his other half. She'd lived with him all her life and saw how hard her brother took life's challenges. She was happy that he was finally happy.

They stopped a small house which was Bella's home. After a little more kisses and hugs and a promised date tomorrow, Edward and Alice left in their car.

Edward had a huge smile on his face and his smile fell when he heard his business phone ringing.

"Ah, Cullen. What's the next move?" Newton, a fellow syndicate leader asked in the other line.

"Sorry, Newton. I'm done." And with that, Edward shut off his phone and threw it on the window.

Alice who was driving and who witnessed that gave a happy laugh. "What did Bella do to you? Whatever it is, I'm glad."

Edward chuckled and had that huge smile on his face again, imagining his new and fresh life with Bella Swan.

"Oh and I forgot to tell you. Dad said before he died and before you entered the hospital room, 'Edward, don't fail like I did' He wanted to say it to me in case he can't tell you. Sorry." Alice apologized.

But it wasn't necessary because Bella already did the job.

**A/N: I'm thinking on making a sequel. What do you guys think?**


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